The First Day is Always the Hardest
by IMSLES
Summary: Leon Vance is moving his family to D.C. as he takes over as director.  How will they settle in?  How will Gibbs accept the first directive he hands down?  NFA Va-Va-Va-VAAAANCE Challenge Entry.


DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NCIS OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS!

THE FIRST DAY IS ALWAYS THE HARDEST

Leon Vance stood looking into his bathroom mirror straightening his tie. His wife, Jackie came in, put her arms around his neck and did it for him, smiling.

"It'll be fine. You're going to do a good job," she encouraged.

He caught her eyes in the mirror. "I'm not unsure of my capabilities, but the people working under my leadership are hurting right now. No one stepping into the director's shoes is going to be accepted easily."

Running her fingers across his shoulders, brushing at imaginary fluff she said, "They'll accept you because you'll demand the respect you deserve and you share in their loss, too."

He nodded. Jennifer Shephard had been a friend, not just a colleague. They had worked together across the distance toward the same goals. It was from her correspondence he knew what he was walking into when he reached the Navy Yard.

The top MCRT was hardest hit, because the lead agent, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, had a complicated yet undoubtedly close relationship with their fallen director. Leon didn't know the details, they weren't his business nor did he really deem them that important. The guilt two of his agents was holding was.

They had been assigned as her protection detail. Even though she had ordered them to stay behind they followed but arrived too late to save her. That weighed heavily upon them.

Despite that he also knew there was a difficult task to be implemented. Gibbs was not going to be agreeable, but things had already been set in motion. Vance had no choice but to inform the devastated team that they were being split up and sent off on other duties. Gibbs was going to be overseeing a new 'team' among which was a mole that NCIS needed to uncover. The only leader suitable to bring forth the guilty party was Gibbs and his infamous gut.

Squaring his shoulders he turned and gave his wife a kiss. Thanking her for her endless support. Making the move East had been difficult for both her, having to leave her family and career behind, and their children, Jared and Kayla, who were having to start a new school and make new friends.

She gave him another smile and ran her hand down the side of his head. "Go get 'em," she offered as he walked out the door to gather the rest of his things.

He stopped in the kitchen where his children sat eating their cereal. They watched him as he filled a cup from the coffee maker and took a sip. He turned and looked into their eyes. They watched him both a bit nervous about their new situation. Sensing their unease he gave them a half smile and a wink.

After rinsing out his cup he put his hands on their heads, gave the top of their heads a kiss, and told them everything was going to be good. "You'll see in no time you'll make some friends and settle right into the new school. You're both good students and will do well, I'm sure of it."

"Bye Dad," they both bid as he they watched him grab his brief case and head for the front door. A small weight seemed to lift off their shoulders, boosted by their father's confidence in them. They were each proud of their father and hoped that this move would be their last. Though they weren't thrilled about moving they knew it came with their father's career and they were hoping this time he would find a long standing assignment.

They shared a look between themselves and smiled briefly. "It'll be okay Jared," Kayla told her brother.

"Yeah, I know," he looked back into his bowl and pushed the cereal around with his spoon. "Dad's nervous though."

"Well he'll be fine. He always is," she answered.

Jared nodded and took another bite. She was right, but he would feel a whole lot better if he had his best friend nearby.

Reading her brother's worry, Kayla patted his arm. "You'll make friends here, too. I've seen some kids around the neighborhood, so we shouldn't have any problems meeting any our own ages."

"It's easier for you Kay." That was a true enough statement. She was certainly more outgoing than her shyer more introverted brother. He was happy with is computer and books, but needed at least one good friend to confide in.

She gave him a reassuring smile and concentrated on her own breakfast.

Jackie, having overheard the end of their conversation, hoped that when they got to school they would make friends. Kayla never seemed to have a problem getting to know her peers. Jared, on the other hand, was a little slower, but managed to make a good friend or two- eventually. She entered the kitchen and asked if they were done. Getting nods she had them clean up their dishes while she got ready to drive them to school.

She was going to be starting her own new position the following week, giving her time to help settle the family down in their new home. Being the wife of an NCIS agent and now director she often had to hold down the fort while he was sent away on assignments. It was no new task to establish a home in a new city, state and once if another country.

Fortunately, since the children were born the new assignments became fewer and farther between. She, like Kayla and Jared, hoped this home would remain just that for many years. It was also a convenience that her company had a position in the D.C. area for her to fill, so she could continue along her own career and not have to find a new employer.

Leon was a good provider, but Jackie was her own woman, too. She had no problems being his supporter, after all she believed in him with all her heart. She had her own dreams and ambitions and wanted to fulfil them to the best of her ability. It was important for their children to see that both their parents could be successful and there for them as well.

She drove them to their new school and made sure they were safely through the doors before leaving to return home. There was no doubt today was going to be a trying day for all of them. She wanted to prepare a nice dinner that would relax them. Right now she wondered how things were going for her husband. She had never met Agent Gibbs, but the few stories that she was aware of made her wonder exactly what sort of reception Leon was going to walk into, especially with the news he was about to deliver.

He stood at his desk waiting for Gibbs and his team to enter the office after summoning them. Gibbs led the way Ziva, Tim and Tony close behind.

One by one he informed the members that were being reassigned. Ziva's Mossad liaison was being revoked; Tim was being sent to the cyber crimes unit and Tony was being assigned as an agent afloat on the USS Ronald Reagan. Gibbs glared at the new director who wasn't very forthcoming with any reasons for the new directives.

Ziva looked hurt and a bit stunned. Still working on the acceptance of the death of her friend, she was hoping to have time to recover along with her team mates. Now her future was being handed back to her and she knew her father would once again be pulling all the strings.

Tim who had finally felt comfortable in his role on Gibbs' team, his confidence restored by his ability to use both his computer skills along with his investigative ones to help solve cases, looked crushed.

Tony looked like he was expecting his demise. He felt he was to blame for Jenny's death and any fate that befell him was his due. He knew if there was a way to avoid it, Gibbs would find it and keep his feet firmly on the ground.

Vance handed some files to Gibbs on his new team which Gibbs accepted with a death stare. He knew he had plenty to say about what had just transpired and had it been Jen he would've gone off on one of his tirades. This new director seemed to want to scramble the top team to all corners of the world and he'd be damned if he was going to take it lying down.

Disgruntled they exited the office, possibly their final act as a team. Gibbs was the last to leave and turned to give Vance one last glare before waving the files silently letting him know this wasn't the end of it. He disappeared from the doorway leaving the door wide open.

Picking a toothpick from the pack in his jacket, Vance thought sarcastically, _'That went well.'_ He picked up the phone asking Cynthia, "Put a call into SecNav, and when you're done please come shut my door." He hung up finally taking a seat at his desk.

There was no doubt Gibbs was going to have plenty to say about his new team and he had to be prepared to tell him what was really going on. He wasn't going to like it, but he was the right man for the job.

Finding out one of his new team members was a spy was going to anger him enough. Knowing that two of them were agents he knew, one he had even gave a personal recommendation, was sure to bring things to a boiling point. Truth was they were the only three agents that had not been cleared by the internal investigation that had been going on for months.

It was ironic that it was Jennifer Shephard herself that hand-picked Gibbs for this assignment. Though she may have tried an alternate strategy, Vance knew this would be the quickest and most effective route. She had hailed Gibbs' gut as not only accurate, but impervious to deception. That was what Vance was counting on.

Vance sat in his office awaiting the storm he knew was coming. He heard it coming before it blew through his door, when Cynthia tried in vain to stop the raging agent from throwing open his door and making his volatile presence known.

"What do you think you're doing?" Gibbs demanded.

Vance nodded for Cynthia to close the door and leave him to deal with the irate lead agent. "It's necessary," was his simple answer, but one he knew wouldn't satisfy the former Marine.

"Necessary for what?" he demanded.

"We need you to weed out the mole who has imbedded himself or herself into our midst," Vance explained as calmly as he was able.

"With those jokers you assigned me I'd be lucky to find rice in my Chinese take out!"

Bracing himself, Vance dropped the bomb, "One of them IS the mole."

Gibbs was taken aback and had to shake his head. The fire burned in his glare, "You intentionally put a mole on MY team." It was an accusation, not a question.

"Take it easy Agent Gibbs," Vance ordered.

"Take it easy? You want me to take it easy?" Gibbs turned a paced for a few steps before turning back waiting for an explanation, something to make sense of all the turmoil that he was stuck in the throes of.

"Gibbs. NCIS is assigning you to ferret out the mole. We've narrowed it down to those three," he pointed in the general direction of where they were currently settling in the squad room. "SecNav gave the directive and I'm seeing it through."

Gibbs narrowed his eyes and stared at the man who stood ramrod straight and didn't falter. He shook his head and exited as he had done before, leaving the door wide open.

Vance took a deep breath, knowing there was sure to be more before they could figure out who the culprit was. For now he'd take what reprieve he could get. Let Gibbs stew for awhile. Eventually he'd realize there was nothing to be done about it, except complete the assignment.

Vance decided to make a call to his wife to let her know he would be home in time for dinner. It had been a difficult day and it was his hope that the rest of his family had had a much easier time.

Dinner was quiet as they each looked to the other trying to read what kind of day they had experienced. Jackie finally broke the silence by asking, "So how did school go today?"

Kayla spoke first, "It was good. There's a girl Mia who sat at lunch with me. She introduced me to a few of her friends. They seem really nice."

Jackie and Leon shared a smile, neither doubted in no time their daughter would be on the phone sharing all kinds of stories. They looked to their son who didn't seem eager to share his day.

"Jared?" Leon asked.

His son looked up lips pressed together not certain what he was going to say. "My day wasn't too bad. I didn't really talk to anyone, but there are a couple guys in my class that let me hang out with them."

Leon smiled. His son was likeable enough, just not much of a socializer. "Well, make sure when you're hanging out with them you all stay out of trouble."

Taking a breath Jared relaxed a little, "Right dad. We will."

"How about your day?" Jackie asked.

"Pretty much what I expected," Vance chuckled. "The next few weeks should prove very interesting."

"Hmmm…," Jackie smirked. "Interesting? Why do I get the feeling that's only the tip of the iceberg?"

Her husband lifted one shoulder and leaned his head to the side, "All I can say right now." He gave her a smile and looked at each of his family at the table. It was going to be good. In time, it would all be good.


End file.
